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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The 
to  t^ 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  >Arhich  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
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Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


□    Covers  damaged/ 
Cou\ 


□ 


V' 


D 


□ 


jverture  endommagee 


I I    Cou 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
verture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul6e 


□    Cover  title  missing/ 
Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

□    Col( 
Enc 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
re  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
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II  SB  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  et6  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilmd  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6X6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
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point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 

□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculees 

r~j/ Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
L_J    Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachetdes  ou  piquees 

I      I    Pages  detached/ 


The 
posi 
of  t» 
•filmi 


Orig 
begi 
the  I 
sion 
othe 
first 
sion 
or  ill 


D 

D 


Pages  d^tach^es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  inegale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materic 
Comprend  du  matferiel  supplementaire 


r~j    Showthrough/ 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


The 
shal 
TINI 
whi( 

Map 
diffc 
entii 
begi 
righi 
requ 
mati 


Only  edition  available/ 
Ssule  Edition  disponibie 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
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Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
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obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

^/ 

vm 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
ginirositA  de: 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
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Las  images  suivantes  ont  6x6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  netteti  de  l'exemplaire  filmi,  et  en 
conformity  avec  los  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  ilk'strated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  filmis  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derni6re  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmis  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — »-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  salon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  -^^  sigrifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmAs  6  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supirieur  gauche,  de  gauche  6  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imges  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

8 

3 

4 

5 

6 

BULLETIN    OP    THE    UNIVERSITY    OP    OREGON. 

HISTORICAI.  8HRIBS  VOI,.   I,  NO.  2. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  HISTORY  OF 
OREGON. 

HXPI,ORATlON  NORTHWRSTWARD, 

F.  G.  YOUNG, 

BdITOR  HISTORICAI,  SBRIES, 

— /i/so — 

THK  HUDSON'S  BAY  COMPAITY  RRGIME 
IN  THE  OREGON  COUNTRY, 

BY 

EVA  EMERY  DYE,  A.  M. 


PUBI.ISHED  WITH  THE  APPROVAI.  OP  THE 
SBOENTS  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY. 

BUGBNB,  ORBOON : 

PUBU8HBD  BY  THB  UNIVBRSITY, 

NOVEMBER,    1 898. 

PRICE  25  CENTS. 


OULET 


•,EIV\1- 


The  University  Bulletins  are  published  by  the  authorit 
the  Board  of  Regents  eight  times  a  j-ear.     The  Bulletin  will 
year  be  taken  up  with  the  installments  of  the  Semi-Centeii  "^ 
History  of  Oregon.     This  work  will  be  sent  gratuitously,  pos'  ^-^ 
paid,  to  all  teachers  actually  employed  in  the  schools  of  Orq  -r- 
during  the  year. 


i 


Subscriptions  should  be  sent  to  J.  J.  Walton,  Secretary 
the  Board  of  Regents,  Eugene,  Ore.     The  price  of  subscriptio 
for  the  whole  work  (see  prospectus  on  inside  of  back  cover)  is  o 
dollar  and  fifty  cents.     For  the  benefit  of  clubs  and  schools  ^ 
special  rate  of  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  each  is  made  l^ 
an  order  of  six  or  more  subscriptions  sent  to  the  same  P.  O.  a 
dress.     This  number  is  sold  at  25  cents. 


ULLETIN     OF    THE     UNIVER5IT\     OF     OREGON. 

HISTORICAL,  SB8.IES  VOL.   I.  SC  2. 


)EM1-CENTENNIAL  HISTORY  OF 
1  OREGON. 


the  authorit 
Builetin  will 

Semi-Centen  f> 
"•tously,  pos.  ^ 
-hools  of  Oro,  "^ 

I  i 

5n.  Secretar}'    ' 
of  subscriptio 

^ck  cover)  is  o 
a"d  schools 

^^^  is  made  S 

same  p.  o.  a 


EXPLORATION    NORTHWESTWAKD, 
BY 

F.  G.  YOUN'G. 
Editor  Historicai.  StMiss, 

TIIK   HUDSON'S   BAY  COMPAJTV   REOIMK 
IN   THE  OREGON   OOrXTRY, 

BY 


EVA  EMERY  D\'E,  A.  M. 


PUBLISHED  WITH  THE  APPHOVAL  OF  THE 
REGENTS  OF  THE  rXIVERSITY. 

EUGENE,  OREGON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  rjflVERSITY. 

NOVEMBER,    1S9S. 


PRICE  25  CEJrtS. 


THE  LIBRARY 


THE  UNlVtRSn  Y  OF 
BRIl  ISH  COLUMBIA 


»>*<*■-.' 


'■t^U^.-t^^^^iH  i>  t        -J 


.  'Me  ^//tHifrjf/y  .^.:^/'//4i/  6o///»i/'(fr 


CONTENTS. 


«•,''' «kV 


KXPI.ORATION  NORTHWESTWARU         _  -  -  _ 

Point  of  view  afforded  in   Oregon   history — Process 
of  Exploration — Time  required  to  penetrate  from 
Cuba  to  the  Columbia  basin — What  is  exemplified 
by  exploring  activities  in  this  period-   Three  per- 
sistent geographical  ideas—  Magellan  discovers  an 
impracticable  route  to  the  south — Cortes  turns  to 
the  north  in  search  of  the  desired  passage  —Atlan- 
tic coast  line  developed — Cortes'   explorations — 
His  successors  on  the  California  coast — Cabeza  de 
Vaca,  Coronado  and  DeSoto — Drake  as  England's 
champion  in  the  Anglo-Spanish  struggle — English 
search  continued  in  the  northeast — Spanish  search 
for  harbors  on  the  Pacific  coast  for  vessels  return- 
ing from  the  Philippine  Is.- -Progress  at  theojien- 
ing  of  the  17th  centur>' — The  French  develop  the 
geography  of  the  interior  of  the  continent — Ber- 
ing's voyages — The  whole  coast  is  traced  by  the 
Spanish — Cook's  explorations  and  the  beginning 
w  the  fur  trade — The  discovery  of  the  Columbia 
river  by  Capt.  Gray — Mackenzie  and  Lewis  and 
Clark  make  transcontinental  passages,  the  latter 
trace  the  Columbia  to  its   mouth — Rcsmne  and 
the  principle  in  accordance  with  which  posession 
of  the  explored  continent  was  determined. 
Thk  Hud.son's  Bay  Company   Regime  in  the  Oregon 
Country         -         --____.. 
The  spirit  of  commercial  venture  leads  England  out 
over  the  world — America  has  also  profited  by  it — 
Americans  precede  the  British  into    the  Oregon 
country — For  a  time  Oregon  is  neglected  by  them 
— The  Hudson's  Bay  and   its   rival,   the   North- 
west Company — Dr.  McLoughlin's  empire  on  the 
Pacific— Social  events  at  Vancouver— His  beneficent 
rule — ^The  Anglo-Saxon  maintains  himself  while 
other   peoples   succumb — McLoughlin   as   friend 
and  protector  of  the  pioneer-  Humanity  has  an 
ill  reward. 


PACK. 

I 


EXPLORATION 


NORTHWESTWARD. 


, 


The  ir.itial  papers  of  this  Series  were  designed  to  give  the 
reader  in  a  tentative  way  his  bearings  in  Oregon  history.  In 
them  the  fundamental  motives  impelling  the  explorer  and  pio- 
neer northwestward  and  the  trends  of  their  courses  were  referred 
to.  The  stages  of  growth  from  an  Oregon  settlement  to  a 
community  and  from  a  community  to  a  commonwealth  with  its 
more  salient  characteristics  were  pointed  out. 

There  is  a  charm  in  the  launching  of  a  ship  or  in  the  un- 
veiling of  a  statue.  How  grandly  fascinating  should  be  the  un- 
veiling of  a  continent  clearly  seen.  Oregon  history  gives  a  stand- 
point for  viewing  in  its  unity  and  virtual  completeness  the 
process  of  disclosing  a  continent  of  its  darkness  and  myster>'. 
The  Oregon  country  was  the  last  of  the  habitable  portions  of  the 
continent  to  be  brought  within  the  ken  of  civilized  man.  Before 
we  trace  the  progress  of  this  unveiling  towards  the  Columbia 
River  basin  let  us  inquire  somewhat  more  minutely  into  the 
nature  of  the  process  itself. 

25 


a. 


SIvMI-CI^NTI'lNNIAI,  JIISTOKV  Ol"  oKlvCON 


k 


"II Wo  wish  to  make  ourselves  thoroughly  acquainted"  says 
Dr.  Kohl,  "with  the  history  of  discovery  in  the  New  World,  we 
must  not  only  follow  the  navigators  on  their  ships,  but  we  must 
look  into  the  cai)inets  of  princes  and  into  the  countint^-houses  of 
merchants  and  likewise  watch  the  scholars  in  their  speculative 
studies."  An  explorer  Inicame  possessed  with  certain  geograi)h- 
ical  ideas  represented  by  the  map  of  some  geographer.  This  wa.s 
his  chart  for  his  voyage.  He  was  commissioned  by  some 
sf)vcreign,  or  at  least  inspired  by'  some  national  motive.  His 
discoveries  became  the  possible  basis  of  a  future  political  exjian- 
sion.  His  log-l)ook,  the  record  of  liis  voyage,  led  the  ifeographcr 
to  mcKlify  his  theories  and  correct  his  map,  which  in  turn  became 
tlie  chart  for  future  voyages.  The  process  of  exploration  thus 
involved  the  co-operation  of  these  several  agencies  and  their 
mutual  interaction.  This  process  in  its  essential  nature  is  prob- 
ably iiest  conceived  of  as  the  growth  of  the  geographical  ideas  of 
the  world's  mind  —  the  navigators  act  as  the  organs  of  sense  in 
getting  new  data,  the  scholars  as  centers  interpret  these  and  revise 
the  previously  held  ideas,  the  monarchs  and  merchant  companies 
originate  and  commission  n^w  impulses  y\  the  shape  of  new  ex- 
peditions for  further  progrv^ss 

Ainiiversaries  of  the  landing  of  Columbus  in  the  West  Indies 
and  of  Captain  Gray  on  the  banks  of  the  Columbia  were  celebra- 
ted recently  in  the  saiiie  year  (1892).  It  was,  however,  the  four 
hundredth  of  the  discovery  of  America  and  the  one  hundredth  of 
the  discovery  of  the  Columbia.  It  took  an  even  three  hundred 
years  to  penetrate  from  Cuba  to  the  Columbia  basin.  What  could 
afibrd  more  favorable  conditions  for  understanding  the  factors 
accomplishing  a  process  than  such  deliberate  passing  of  it  through 
the  centuries? 

The  results  of  five  nations  having  extended  their  lines  of  explo- 
ration to  converge  upon  the  Oregoti  country  are  no  longer  l)urning 
questions  in  international  relations,  and  yet  these  are  not  all  settled, 
as  witness  the  disputes  over  the  British  Columbia-Alaskan  bound- 
ary. For  more  than  half  a  century  the  overlapping  territorial 
claims  on  the  Pacific  coast  seemed  fraught  with  gravest  conse- 
quences. In  their  later  complications  they 'constituted  the  Oregon 
Ouestion.  The  political  map  of  the  Pacific  slope  is  likely  forever 
to  commemorate  the  international  rivalry  in  exploration.  The 
key  to  the  explanation  of  the  peculiar  shajie  of  Alaska  and  to  the 

36 


Hi 


i 


KXl'I.OKATION   NORTHWHSTWAKI). 


3- 


Jiodjrc-pfMlcrc  (It  KcoK'raphical  names  on  the  Pacilic  coast  i'um\ 
Alaska  to  California,  to  take  two  special  cases,  is  to  be  found  in  the 
history  of  the  early  explorations  o,i  the  Nortwest  coast. 

In  a  word,  we  may  hope  in  an  examination  of  this  period  of 
three  hnndred  years  of  exploration  northwestward  to  have  exem- 
plified under  peculiarly  favorable  circumstances  the  process  of  the 
world  i^rowth  in  geof^raphical  knowledge;  and  fnrtheras  five  nations 
are  viewed  in  their  parallel  activities  making  for  exjiansion  towards 
the  North  Pacific  coast,  which  activity  in  each  case  sometimes 
rises  to  be  the  dominant  national  interest,  their  national  char- 
acters receive  striking,'  illustration  ;in  thi^  period  too  we  find  some  ele- 
ments essential  to  the  understanding  of  later  phases  of  Oregon's 
development;  in  it  we  have  the  opportunity  of  following  the 
development  of  an  important  historical  problem  that  lias  a  rare 
degree  of  unity  and  definiteness. 

The  work  of  developing  tlie  world's  kno\v>  'ge  of  the  conti- 
nent of  North  America  from  Columbus'  idea  o  ;  as  a  string  of 
Asiatic  islands  to  the  point  where  the  Oregon  comi'ry  was  brought 
fairly  within  the  pale  of  civilization  was  a  w  /  k,  as  T  have  said,  of 
some  three  centuries.  The  view  that  Columbus  held  had  been 
proposed  by  Kratosthenes  in  the  third  century  B.  C.  It  liad  been 
adopted  at  intervals  by  geographers  during  the  uitervening  seven 
teen  centuries.  Tne  main  change  that  it  had  suflered  liad  been  the 
prolongation  of  Asia  over  against  Spain.  In  this  form  Columbus 
had  received  it  from  Toscanelli  about  1474.  The  geographical 
conditions  predicated  in  this  belief  precluded  the  possibility  of  the 
existence  of  a  North  Pacific  coast.  From  that  point  of  view  the 
development  of  this  coast  involved  a  dead  lift  of  it  out  of  the 
interior  of  Asia.  The  region  we  call  the  Pacific  Northwest  v/as 
far  back  in  the  dominions  of  the  C»rand  Cham  of  China.  But  this 
belief  of  the  Asiatic  connection  of  the  newly  found  lands  of  North 
America  had  not  fairly  begun  to  decline  before  another  geograph- 
ical conception  of  North  America  aro.se  that  placed  the  Oregon 
region  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

For  the  sake  of  clearness  it  will  probably  be  })est  in  this 
sketch  to  regard  the  explorations  northwestward  as  resulting  first, 
in  tearing  the  North  American  continent  away  from  Asia;  and 
second,  in  pushing  the  vSea  of  Verrazano  liack  into  the  Nortli 
i'acific  and  Arctic  Oceans.  There  were  thus  two  main  delusions  per- 
taining to  the  geography  of  North  America;  the  earlier  conceived 

27 


■'^i'^Jt^^Ak' 


4.  SKMI-CKNTENNIAL  HISTORY  OF  OREGON: 

of  it  as  the  eastern  extension  of  Asia;  the  later  regarded  it  as  a 
narrow  strip  throughout  in  its  northeasterly  extension,  much  as 
it  was  found  to  be  in  Central  America  and  southern  Mexico. 
These  vicvvs  in  their  radical  forms  were  necessarily  in  irreconcil- 
able conflict,  but  toned  down  they  were  made  to  coalesce  by 
many  geographers. 

"The  cartographical  history  of  the  Pacific  coast  of  North 
America,"  says  Justin  Winsor,  "is  one  of  shadowy  and  unstable 
surmise  long  continued. "  The  former,  or  as  it  may  be  termed, 
the  Asiatic  view  lingered  a  full  century  after  the  decline  had 
begun.  A  map  was  published  in  1598  exhibiting  it.  Thomas 
Morton  in  1636  showed  that  in  New  England  it  was  not  yet  de- 
cided whether  the  continent  of  North  America  did  not  border 
upon  the  country  of  the  Tartars.  "Indeed,  the  last  trace  of  the 
assumption,"  saj's  Winsor,  "was  not  blown  away  till  Bering  in 
1728  passed  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Arctic  Seas."  That  the  sec- 
ond or  isthmian  view  as  to  the  dimensions  of  the  continent  was 
held  with  almost  implicit  faith  during  the  first  half  of  tne  seven- 
teenth century  we  have  much  evidence.  By  the  first  charter  of 
Virginia  (1606)  it  was  declared  to  extend  from  the  34th  to  the 
45th  parallel  of  latitude,  and  from  the  seashore  one  hundred 
miles  inland.  In  a  second  charter,  issued  three  years  later, 
Virginia  is  described  as  extending  from  .sea  to  sea,  that  is,  from 
the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  the  Pacific.  "It  is  not  Hkely,"  says  Fiske, 
"that  the  king  and  his  advisers  understood  the  westward  exten- 
sion of  the  grant,  as  here  specified,  to  be  materially  diflferent  from 
that  mentioned  in  the  first  charter.  The  width  of  the  continent 
lietween  Chesapeake  Bay  and  the  valley  of  the  St.  Lawrence  was 
supposed  to  be  no  greater  than  from  one  to  two  hundred  miles. 
Henry  Hudson  in  1609  entered  New  York  harbor  in  the  hope  of 
coming  out  upon  the  Pacific  Ocean  in  a  few  days." 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  while  the  results  of  some  three  hun- 
dred j'ears  of  exploration  northwestward  were  the  outlining  of  a 
continent  in  its  main  features  and  true  proportions,  the  impelling 
motive   had    reference    to    altogether    different    ends. 

It  was  mainly  one  prolonged  search  for  a  north- 
v>'cst  passage  to  the  Indies  of  spices,  gems,  silks  and 
gold.  Visions  of  the  Seven  Cities,  of  second  Mexicos 
and  Perns,  with  mines  of  precious  metals  and  later  with 
regions     ri<-h     in    furs,     spurred    the     explorers     to    increased 

a8 


;     ■•! 


J 


KXI'LOKATK  )N   NORTH  WKSTWARD. 


I  it  as  a 
auch  as 
Mexico, 
reconcil- 
lesce  by 

f  North 
unstable 
:  termed, 
cline  had 
Thomas 
it  yet  de- 
3t  border 
ice  of  the 
Bering  in 
it  the  sec- 
inent  was 
tne  seven - 
charter  of 
^th  to  the 
k  hundred 
ears  later, 
It  is,  from 
ays  Fiske, 
ard  exteii- 
erent  from 
;  continent 
kvrence  was 
dred  miles, 
le  hope  of 

three  hun- 

tlinins  of  '^ 
iinpcUins? 

!i     north- 
silks    and 
d     Mcxicos 
later   with 
increased 


zenl.  "A  most  pathetic  and  thrilling  story,"  says  Fiskc,  "is  that 
of  the  persistent  search  for  the  Northwest  Passage,  kept  up  for 
330  years,  and  gradually  pushed  farther  and  farther  up  among 
Arctic  ic'j-floes,  until  at  length  in  iS54the  passage  was  made 
from  Bering  Strait  to  Davis  Strait  by  Sir  Robert  McClure." 

Thus  three  ideas  were  dominant  with  cartographers,  with 
explorers,  and  with  the  European  monarchs  in  the  development 
of  the  geography  of  North  America;  the  ideas  of  contiguity 
with  Asia;  of  a  distinct  continent  contracted  to  isthmian  propor- 
tions in  the  region  from  the  Chesapeake  Ba}'  to  the  St.  Lawrence; 
of  an  open  passage  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  somewhere  in 
the  north.  All  found  varying  representation  on  the  maps.  Now 
and  then  there  would  be  a  guess  aj'-proximating  reality.  But  it 
wqs  the  last  idea  only  that  served  directly  as  the  motive  to 
exploration. 

Cohimbus  on  his  fourth  voyage  (1502-3)  made  a  laborious 
search  for  a  passage  in  the  region  of  Central  America.  So  fondly 
was  the  hope  of  a  strait  in  that  quarter  cherished,  that  Cortes 
indulged  in  the  delusion  of  one  at  the  base  of  Yucatan  as  late  as 
1522.     Such  a  strait  was  represented  on   maps  ten  years  longer. 

The  Portuguese  taking  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  route  penetra- 
ted to  the  Molucca  or  Spice  Islands  in  1 5 1 1 .  Naturally  the  question 
arose  whether  they  were  not  trespassing  on  vSpanish  rights.  The 
line  of  demarcation  between  the  possessions  of  Spain  and  Portu- 
gal as  laid  down  by  Pope  Alexander  VI  was  extended  by  its 
antipodal  round  the  earth.  The  means  of  determining  longitude, 
however,  were  too  crude  for  arriving  at  a  clear  and  satisfactory 
decision  of  the  disputed  ownersliip  of  these  islands.  It  was 
seen  that  the  issue  was  to  be  determined  by  occu])ation.  The 
matter  was  urgent.  Spain  must  find  a  passage  west  to  the  Mo- 
luccas. Columbus  and  all  since  his  day  had  failed  to  find  a  pas- 
sage thither  by  way  of  the  Caribbean  Sea.  .Special  efforts  were 
turned  to  the  soulli.  Magellan's  v/as  the  third  expedition  sent  to 
the  south  on  this  mission.  The  .second  expediv^^n  under  vSolis 
( 1511S)  had  l)een  misled  by  the  broad  estuary  of  the  La  Plata,  and 
made  a  fruitless  examination  of  it  as  an  inter-oceanic  pas.sage.  All 
know  the  outcome  of  Magellan's  wondrous  voyage.  He  sacrificed 
liis  own  life  but  led  the  way  around  the  world.  The  excessive 
length  of  the  voyage  from  I'Uirope  to  Asia  by  this  southwestern 
loute-  rendered   it  impr.acticable.     However,  Spain  immediately 

29 


6. 


SRMI-CRNTENNIAIv  HISTORY  OF  ORPiGON: 


made  an  attempt  to  utilize  it.  The  expedition  ended  in  dismal 
failure. 

Search  at  the  center  and  at  the  south  had  not  discov  ?red  a 
practicable  route  from  Europe  west  to  Asia.  It  is  then,  "Ho!  to 
the  north,"  for  this  desideratum  of  the  centuries.  Sebastian  Cabot 
had  been  right  from  the  start  in  proposing  a  northwest  passage 
to  Cathay.  That  would  make  great  circle  sailing  —  the  shortest 
route. 

Cortes  was  the  first  to  prepare  plans  that  seemed  commensu- 
rate with  the  undertaking.  In  his  fourth  letter  to  Emperor 
Charles  V.  (1524)  he  outlines  these: 

"I  am  continually  on  the  watch  and  occupying  myself  with 
the  thought,  how  can  I  best  carry  into  execution  and  accomplish 
the  desire  I  have  to  promote  the  service  of  your  Majesty.  I  have 
already  mentioned  to  your  Excellency  the  places  to  which  I 
have  sent  people,  both  by  land  and  sea,  by  whom  under  the 
guidance  of  our  Lord  your  Majesty  has  been  well  served.  No- 
thing seems  to  remain  but  to  explore  the  coast  lying  between  the 
river  Panuco  and  Florida,  the  latter  being  the  country  discovered 
by  Adelantado  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon;  and  then  the  northern 
coast  of  Florida  as  far  ■as  Bacalaos;  because  it  is  considered 
certain  that  there  is  a  strait  on  that  coast  that  leads  to  the  South 
Sea.*  If  this  should  be  found,  it  appears  to  me  that  it  will  come 
out  near  the  archipelago,  which  Magallanes  by  the  order  of  your 
Highness  has  disco-ered,  according  to  a  chart  which  I  have, 
showing  its  situation.  In  that  case  navigation  from  the  Spice 
Islands  to  these  dominions  of  your  Majesty  will  be  rendered 
favorable  and  short,  so  much  so  that  the  distance  will  be  two 
thirds  less  than  at  present ;  and  there  will  be  no  risk  ov  danger  to 
ships  going  or  returning,  because  their  course  will  always  lie 
within  the  dominions  of  your  Majesty,  and  whenever  there  is  a 
necessity  for  repairs,  they  can  seek  a  harbor  at  any  point  of  the 
voyage  in  the  territories  of  your  Highness 

"The  enterprise  will  cost  me  more  than  10,000  pesos  in  gold; 
but  if  the  strait  is  discovered,  it  will  be  of  more  signal  advantage 
to  your  Majesty  than  anything  I  have  yet  achieved;  and  if  that 
discovery  is  not  made,  it  is  possible  that  others  will  be,  of  rich 


*This  is  Balboa's  name  for  the  Pacific, 
perscded  it. 


Manellan's  name  had  not  yet  su- 


30 


I  dismal 

)\  >red  a 
"Ho!  to 
111  Cabot 
passage 
shortest 

nmensu- 
Emperor 

self  with 
Domplish 
I  have 
which  I 
ider  the 

d.  No- 
veen  the 
iscovered 
northern 
)nsidered 
he  South 
vill  come 
r  of  your 

I  have, 
the  Spice 
rendered 
il  be  two 
danger  to 
Iways  lie 
here  is  a 
mt  of  the 

s  in  gold; 
idvantage 
nd  if  that 

e,  of  rich 

I  not  yet  su- 


EXPLORATION  NORTHWESTWARD.  j. 

and  widelj  spread  lands  tending  to  promote  the  interests  of  yonr 
Majesty,  and  greatly  enlarging  the  number  of  realms  and  seignior- 
ies already  subject  to  your  royal  crown.  It  will  also  be  useful  to 
know  that  such  a  strait  does  uot  exist  so  that  attention  may  l>e 
paid  to  devising  means  for  securing  the  greatest  possible  benefit 
from  the  spice  countries,  and  others  in  their  neighborhood;  an 
object  for  the  accomplishment  of  which  I  offer  my  services  to  your 
Highness,  should  you  be  pleased  to  command  them ;  so  that  with- 
out the  strait  I  shall  cause  your  Majesty's  affairs  to  be  greatly 
advanced  and  at  a  diminished  expense.  But  may  it  please  our 
Lord  to  crown  this  enterprise  with  success  by  discovery  of  the 
strait!  A  consummation  the  most  desirable,  and  in  which  I  have 
the  greatest  confidence,  since  nothing  can  be  denied  to  the  good 
fortune  of  your  Majesty,  and  on  my  part  no  efforts,  attention,  or 
zeal  will  be  spared  in  the  undertaking. 

"I  also  propose  to  get  ready  the  ships  I  have  had  built  on  the 
South  Sea,  so  that  if  it  please  our  Lord,  they  may  sail  at  the  ex- 
piration of  the  month  of  July,  in  this  year,  1524,  on  a  voyage 
down  the  coast  in  quest  of  the  same  strait;  since  if  it  exists,  it 
must  be  discovered  by  those  on  the  South  Sea,  as  well  as  others 
in  the  North  Sea,  for  the  former  will  run  along  the  coast  until 
they  either  find  the  strait,  or  reach  the  land  discovered  by  Magal- 
lanes,  and  the  latter  will  proceed  to  the  north  as  I  have  stated, 
until  they  arrive  at  Bacalaos.  Thus  on  one  side  or  the  other, 
I  shall  not  fail  to  ascertain  the  truth. 

"I  assure  your  Majesty,  that  according  to  the  information  I 
have  of  the  lands  situated  along  the  upper  coasts  of  the  South 
Sea,  it  will  be  of  great  service  to  myself,  and  likewise  to  your 
Majesty,  to  send  these  ships  in  that  direction;  but  being  well 
aware  of  the  great  desire  of  your  Majesty  to  know  concerning  the 
supposed  strait,  and  of  the  great  advantage  the  crown  would  de- 
rive from  its  discovery,  I  have  laid  aside  all  other  schemes  more 
obviously  tending  to  promote  my  interests  in  order  to  pursue  this 
object  alone.  May  our  Lord  so  guide  me  that  his  service  may  be 
advanced  and  the  desires  of  your  Majesty  accomplished,  while  at 
the  same  time  my  own  wishes  of  rendering  good  service  are 
gratified." 

In  this  same  year,  1524,  Francis  I.,  king  of  France,  enters 
the  lists  as  a  competitor  for  possessions  among  the  new  discover- 

Hc  sends  Vcrrazano  to  find  the  northwest  passage.       Land 


ics. 


SICIMI-C 


KNNIAL  HISTORY  OV  URlvCON: 


is  first  si<;htcd  off  the  coast  of  North  Carolina.  Vcrra/atio  then 
skirted  the  coast  northward  as  far  as  latitude  50  deg,,  and  may 
have  discovered  the  Hudson  river  and  landed  u]3on  Rhode  Island, 
and  again  farther  up  the  coast.  In  this  same  year  d'  Ayllnn 
came  from  Hispaniola  and  tried  the  James  river  and  Chesapeake 
bay  for  a  oassage  to  the  Pacific.  Tht^  next  year  Gomez  was  sent 
out  from  Spain  to  find  this  passage  in  the  north— the  matter  had 
become  so  urgent.  He  coasted  from  Labrador  to  Florida,  taking 
notice  of  Cape  Cod,  Narragansett  bay  and  the  mouths  of  the  Con- 
necticut, Hudson  and  Delaware  rivers.  In  this  way  by  these  re- 
peated voyages  in  search  of  the  strait  was  the  geography  of  the 
Atlantic  coast  developed. 

It  is  to  be  noted,  however,  that  when  a  Verrazano,  a  brother 
of  the  navigator,  published  a  map  in  1529  to  represent  the  discov- 
eries of  the  voyage  five  years  before,  he  makes  Florida  connect 
with  what  we  nov.'  call  New  England  by  an  isthmus.  The  imag- 
inary sea  washing  the  western  shore  of  this  isthmus  was  com- 
monly known  as  the  Sea  of  Verrazano.  It  was  this  .sea  thus  or- 
iginated, that  for  many  years  by  one  line  of  geographers  was  made 
to  engulf  the  Oregon  country.  It  took  the  valiant  services  of  a  long 
l;ne  of  intrepid  French  explorers  to  push  the  sea  b.ick  across  the 
continent,  giving  it  proportions  that  admitted  of  the  existence 
of  Oregon. 

Cortes  .seems  to  have  desisted  from  his  proposed  expedition 
on  the  Atlantic  dc,  but  set  about  vigorously  to  inaugurate  the 
explorations  on  the  north  Pacific  coast.  Here  he  gave 
an  impulse  to  northwest  exploration  by  sea  and  land 
from  Mexico  as  a  base  that  developed  the  geography  of  our 
southwestern  territory  and  coast  from  Texas  to  tne  upper  limits 
of  California  and  laid  the  basis  of  Spanish  occupation  of  those  re- 
gions of  which  their  successors,  .ne  Mexicans,  were  not  to  be  ('  =  s- 
]K)ssessed  by  a  brancli  of  the  ICnglish  speakiiig  peoples  until  tlie 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Here  was  the  hist  great  ex- 
pansion of  Spain. 

From  his  headquarters  at  the  c\[y  of  Mexico  Cortes  sent 
explorers  to  the  Pacific  coast  to  find  ;i  fit  spot  for  a  shipping 
jwhit.  Thither  he  sent  colonists  and  slup-wrights  to  cstahlisli  a 
ton-n  and  build  a  fleet.  The  rebellion  of  a  treacherous  lieutenant 
in  Honduras  required  his  attention  for  a  year.  In  1527,  however, 
at  the  urgent  request  of  his  emperor  ho  sent  three  vessels  direct 

32 


w  ^ 


►N: 

rra/atio  then 
g.,  and  may 
Lhodc  Island, 
ar  d'  Ayllnn 
Chesapeake 
niez  was  sent 
e  matter  had 
orida,  taking 
IS  of  the  Con- 
,'  by  these  re- 
jrapliy  of  the 

no,  a  brother 
lit  the  discov- 
)rida  connect 
The  imag- 
its  was  com- 
s  sea  thus  or- 
ers  was  made 
/ices  of  a  long 
ck  across  the 
:he  existence 

;d  expedition 
auguratc  the 
ire  he  gave 
a  and  land 
jraphy  of  our 
e  upper  limits 
'11  of  those  re- 
lict to  be  ('"s- 
ples  until  the 
last  great  ex- 

[)  Cortes  sent 
^r  a  shipping 
to  cstabH.sli  a 
■)us  lieutenant 
527,  however, 
vessels  direct 


KXI'LORATION  NORTHWESTWARD.  9. 

across  the  Pacific  to  co-operate  with  two  other  fleets  sent  from 
Spain  via  the  Magellan  route  to  the  Spice  islands.  Two  of  the 
ships  sent  out  by  Cortes  were  lost  at  sea,  the  third  was  captured 
by  the  Portuguese.  In  1529  the  Spanish  claims  to  the  islands 
were  sold  to  Portugal  and  Cortes  was  free  to  prosecute  his  pro- 
posed explorations  to  the  northwest.  But  at  this  stage  of  his  last 
great  project  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  confront  calumniators  in 
Spain.  On  his  return  to  the  Pacific  coast  ports  he  found  that  the 
preparations  he  had  made  for  the  building  of  a  new  fleet  had  been 
interfered  with  by  enemies  who  werejealous  of  the  new  conquests 
that  he  might  make  to  the  northwest.  Ship-building  was  re- 
sumed at  Tehuante]iec  and  Acapulco.  The  first  two  ships  sent 
out  in  1532  were  lost.  A  military  governor  of  the  frontier  prov- 
ence  in  the  region  opposite  the  point  of  the  peninsula  of  Califor- 
nia had  refused  them  succor.  The  next  expedition  in  1533 
developed  the  western  shore  of  the  lower  parts  of  the  peninsula  oi 
California;  one  vessel  returned,  its  pilot  having  been  killed  by  the 
natives;  the  other  was  seized  by  the  same  rival. 

A  third  expedition  in  May  1535  was  led  by  Cortes  in  person. 
What  parts  of  the  lower  portion  of  the  California  peninsula  he 
coasted  is  known  from  his  map  preserved  in  the  Spanish  archives. 
He  established  a  colony  on  the  peninsula,  but  hearing  that  he  was 
l^eing  super.seded  as  viceroy  returned  to  Mexico.  Still  not  de- 
spairing of  lietter  success  a  fourth  trial  for  glory  was  made  in  this 
direction.  He  despatched  Francisco  de  Ulloa  in  1539,  having 
indications  that  the  new  viceroy,  Mendoza,  would  try  to  antici- 
pate him.  Ulloa  proceeded  up  the  gulf  nearly  to  its  head,  and, 
satisfing  himself  that  no  practicable  water  passage  could  bring 
him  to  the  ocean  in  that  direction,  turned  south  and  following 
the  easterly  coast  of  the  peninsula  rounded  its  extremity  and 
coasted  its  western  shore  to  about  the  2S"  north  latitude,  without 
finding  any  cut  off  on  that  side.  It  had  been  Cortes'  conviction 
that  California  was  an  island. 

Cortes'  connection  with  discoveries  on  the  Pacific  end  here. 
Others  followed  where  lie  had  led.  His  captains  caVlcd  the  gulf  the 
Sea  of  Cortes  but  the  name  failed  to  abide.  For  a  while  it  was 
generally  called  the  Red  Sea  out  of  the  fancied  rescml)lance  totlic 
Red  sea  of  the  old  World.  It  is  held  that  the  name  CaUfornia 
was  given  to  the  iieninsula  by  Cortes  himself. 

33 


I'M! 


10.  ;-:i:mi-cj-;nti';>:n(al  hibtorv  iji-  orkgon: 

The  I'ollowing  year  Meiuloza  sent  a  fleet  under  Heniaiidf 
D'Alarcon  with  Castillo  as  pilot  to  co-operate  with  the  famous 
land  expedition  under  Coronncio,  The  first  went  to  the  head  of 
the  gulf  and  with  boats  ascended  the  Colorado  some  distance.  Of 
t)ie  land  expedition  under  Coronado  more  v  .;i  !>e  said  presently. 
Two  years  later,  1542,3  fleet  under  Cabnllo.  a  Portuguese  in 
Spanish  service,  started  up  the  coast.  It  sighted  land  in  latitude 
330  and  coasted  north  to  44^^,  if  we  take  the  ship's  figures.  They 
are  supposed  to  have  been  one  or  two  degrees  too  high.  He 
probal)ly  entered  the  San  Diego  harl)or.  Cabrillo  died  on  this  voy- 
age when  the  expedition  had  not  proceeded  alx>ve  38",  Ferrelo, 
his  chief  pilot,  continued  the  explorations.  Thus  early  had  the 
Spaniards  reached  the  southwesterii  limits  of  the  future  Oregon 
Territory. 

The  success  of  Cortes  in  his  conquest  of  Mexico  had  filled  the 
Spanish  mind  with  visions  of  empires.  The  limits  of  Mexico  and 
Central  America  on  the  west  had  been  ascertained.  The  outlines 
of  vSouth  America  were  defined  and  its  interior  fairly  well  explor- 
ed. The  north  alone  remained  the  region  of  mystery.  The  year 
tliat  Cortes  despatched  a  fleet  from  a  western  point  of  Mexico  to 
the  Spice  islands  (1527)  Narvaez,  a  Spanish  adventurer,  latided  at 
Apalachee  bay  in  Florida  in  quest  of  an  El  Dorado.  The  expedi- 
tion of  600  men  and  eighty  horses  was  soon  reduced  by  hurricar.es 
and  blundering  incompetence  to  four  sole  sur^-ivors  aimlessly 
wandering  over  the  plains  of  Texa.s.  Cabeza  de  V?.ca,  the  treasur- 
er of  the  expedition,  was  their  leader.  After  nine  years  of  drifting 
hither  and  thither  they  l)rought  up  at  a  Spanish  outpost  in 
Mexico. 

Exaggerated  rumors  of  the  Zuni  Pueblos  had  already  reach- 
ed the  ears  of  Mendoza,  the  ,-uccessor  to  Cortes  as  viceroy  of 
Mexico,  and  Cabeza  do  Vaca  as;;umed  an  air  of  myster\'  as  to  the 
countries  he  had  .seen  and  the  reports  of  cities  he  had  heard. 
Ther>e  reports  of  a  land  of  Seven  Cities  matched  well  with  a  tradi- 
tion current  among  the  vSpanish.  Jm?-ginr.tion  had  first  located 
these  Seven  Cities  on  the  i.sland  Antilia  placed  bv  geographers 
in  t^he  mid-Atlantic,  They  were  ea.sily  shifted  to  the  region 
north  of  Mexico.  Cabeza  de  Vaca's  tale  wxs  also  told  in  Cuba 
and  Spain.  It  in^anied  the  imaginations  of  men  ihat  had  but  rc- 
centlv  tieen  kindled  anew  bv  the  .storv  of  P;/c;rro  in  I'eru.  It  was 
but  natural  then  that  during  the  same  years  De  Soto's  expedition 

34 


■  ■.■     F     tf    «  I? 


'•'"■iiriwui. 


GON: 

ider  Heniaiidf 
th    the   famous 
to  the  head   of 
ne  distance.   Of 
said  presently. 

Portuguese  in 
land  in  latitude 

figures.  They 
too  high.  He 
ied  on  this  voy- 
?  3S°,    Ferrelo, 

early  had    the 

future  Oregon 

CO  had  filled  the 
;  of  Mexico  and 
.  The  outlines 
rly  well  explor- 
;er\'.  The  \'car 
t  of  Mexico  to 
iturer,  landed  at 
I.  The  expedi- 
id  by  hurricanes 
ivors  aimlessly 
'.ca,  the  treasur- 
years  of  drifting 
lish    outpost    in 

.  already  reach- 
5  as  viceroy  of 
yster\'  as  to  the 
he  had  heard, 
•ell  with  a  tradi- 
id  first  located 
hv  geographers 
to  the  region 
)  told  in  Cn'Da 
that  had  !)ut  re- 
in I'eru.  It  was 
oto's  expedition 


explof^»t:^n  xortiiwektw.mu). 


!  I. 


should  be  traveling  back  znd  forth  through  the  country  bordering 
on  the  Gulf  of  Mexicfs..  'nrhile  Coronado's  setting  out  from  Mexi- 
co and  sending  out  exr^Ting  parties  to  the  right  and  left  sliould 
penetrate  as  far  nortbea-rt  i-r  the  prese'it  limits  of  Kansas. 

These  expedi^OTi>  demt-n-trated  the  wide  expanse  of  the  con- 
tinent up  to  the  for.r-.;.  :  .rallel.  But  hardly  more  of  geograph- 
ical knowledge  tharj  :'-:-  are  fact  was  handed  down  from  them. 
The  Missippi  had  Xo  '-r-  r-:-<iiscovt:red  by  the  French  in  the  next 
century,  Marquette  ir.  i  Joliet  were  under  the  necessity  of  de- 
scending it  as  far  as  xh-  r:onth  of  the  Arkansas  to  be  sure  that  it 
did  not  empty  into 'he  G^If  of  California  or  the  Pacific  as  liad 
come  to  be  cu.rrently  l<e!:€vetl. 

Al'ter  the  futile  ex:'<etftttTor.s  of  Corotiado  and  He  Soto  in  tlie 
fifth  decade  of  the  i^ti  centtir\-  Spain  acted  only  on  the  defensive. 
Her  ambition  was  to  bold  what  she  had  gained.  Rich  kitigdoms 
were  no  longer  '^ougliil;  -aliter.  Later  voyages  made  In-  her  in  search 
of  inter-oceanic  strait*'  weme inspired  only  liy  the  motive  of  forestall- 
ing other  nation"^.  Sbc-  «ii«!  not  feel  impelled  to  establish  a  colonj' 
in  Florida  until  the  rnefich  Hnguenots  at  Coligny's  suggestion 
had  attempted  a  fc<»tiii>il<d  in  that  region.  Her  activity  in  the  oc- 
cupation of  California  in  E769  and  in  voyages  up  the  North  Pacific 
coast  a  few  years  later  "sc^  called  out  by  reports  of  Russian  ;ig- 
gre.ssion  from  the  north.  Sc>,  while  at  the  middle  of  the  i^th 
century  there  wasint3cl».  ff  the  geography  of  North  America  still 
to  be  developed,  England,  France,  Rus.sia  and  later  the  United 
States  had  to  be  relied  cpOTi  to  dispel  the  darkness  and  mystry 
from  the  northern  and  northwestern  portions  of  the  continent. 

The  English  pe<iple  '^ere  just  awakening  to  an  interest  in  the 
western  world.  They  hari  not  responded  to  the  venture  of  ijie 
Cabots  half  a  centur>-  I'^f^vre.  In  1553,  however,  Sebastian  Cabot 
was  recalled  frrim  Spa:rj  iroi  a  joint  stock  company  later  kiiown 
as  the  Muscovy  C  on  pa  ^y  was  formed  "for  the  Di.scoverie  of  Re- 
gions, Island,  and  Jlscts  rinknown."  Books  too  began  10  appear 
on  the  dicoveries  in  Arir^rt^i.  In  1562  John  Hawkins  condnctinl 
his  first  great  slave-trHd5wii«j  expedition  between  the  coast  ofOuiiK>a 
and  the  West  Indies.  3mt  it  sva.s  in  connection  witli  a  nobler  c:\- 
terprise  that  an  Engl3isl5r<&s.*el  was  first  to  siglit  the  Oregon  shores. 

vSjvun  in  ihe  midrj-t^ss  of  her  bigotry  and  pride  had  undertaken 
to  tlirottlo  rohtical  aiv^  -^elisrion-  liberty  iti  Europe.  England  and  tlie 
Netherlands  alon?  badt  teer  defiance.     Spain  used  the  iull    powL-r 


35 


1 1 


h  i 


2 


12. 


SKMI-OKNTKNNIAL  HI.STORY  OK  OKlvCON 


I 


of  the  church  hut  ICngland  was  tiot  overawed.  "On  a  fresh  May 
moniing  in  1570,"  says  Fiske,  "the  Papal  Bull 'declaring  Elizahelli 
deposed  and  her  subjects  absolved  from  their  allegiance  was  fouiul 
nailed  against  the  Bishop  of  London's  door,'  and  when  the  rash 
young  gentleman  who  had  ])ut  it  there  was  discovered  he  was 
taken  back  to  that  door  step  and  quartered  alive.  Two  years  later 
came  the  Paris  Matins  on  the  day  of  St.  Bartholomew,  atid  the 
Knglish  ambassador  openly  gave  shelter  to  Huguenots  in  his 
house."  ICngland's  hero  in  the  on-coming  struggle  stands  second 
only  to  Nelson,  her  greatest  seaman.  Drake  had  sworn  the  oath 
of  a  Haiuiibal  since  that  day  in  1567  when  in  command  of  a  ship 
under  Hawkins  in  the  harbor  of  Vera  Cruz  in  Mexico  he  had  been 
treacherously  pounced  npon  by  a  vSpanish  fleet.  The  idea  was 
conceived  that  England's  proper  policy,  as  she  was  a  nation  of 
only  about  five  millions  of  people  against  the  greatest  power  of 
Europe  since  Rome  under  Constantine,  would  be  to  take  or  de- 
stroy the  vSpanish  sinews  of  war,  then  being  received  from  the 
mines  of  Mexico  and  Peru.  Philip's  fleet,  however  large,  must 
leave  these  treasures  exposed  at  some  point  before  they  reached 
Spain.  "The  shores  of  America  and  the  open  sea,"  says  Fiske, 
were  the  proper  field  of  war  for  England."  This  idea  Drake  jnit 
into  practice. 

In  the  fall  of  1778  in  command  of  the  Golden  Hind,  that 
was  from  incursions  into  the  harbors  of  Peru  and  Mexi- 
co laden  with  gold,  silver  and  jewels,  Drake  appearrd  off  the 
coast  of  Californa.  He  pa.ssed  up  the  coast  to  probably  1.3°  and 
returned  to  beach  and  repair  his  .ship  near  San  Francisco  bay. 
Thence  he  passed  directly  across  the  Pacific  to  the  Malucca  islands 
and  home  by  way  of  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  eflfecting  the  second 
circumnavigation  of  the  earth. 

Drake's  voyage  led  to  several  noteworthy  geographical  re- 
sults: New  Albion  became  the  name  of  the  region  whose  shores 
he  had  visited;  the  coastline  of  upper  California  took  a  more 
northerly  trend;  geographers  given  to  representing  all  unknown 
portions  of  the  earth's  surface  as  sea  were  under  the  necessity  of 
bulking  the  continent  to  the  northwest. 

Drake  had  come  to  these  .shores  for  the  strait  that  should  let 
him  through  the  continent.  His  failure  to  find  it  caused  English 
navigators  <or  a  long  time  to  confine  their  search  to  the    Atlantic 

36 


(IN; 

a  fresh  Mav 
iug  KlizahelU 
lice  was  fouiKl 
:icn  the  rash 
,'erecl  he  was 
wo  years  later 
lew,  and  tlie 
ueiiots   in   his 

stands  second 
A'orn  the  oath 
land  of  a  siiip 
CO  he  had  been 
The  idea  was 
s  a  nation  of 
test  power  of 
to  take  or  dc- 
ived  from  the 
!r  large,  must 

they  reached 
,"  says  Fiske, 
dea  Drake  put 

Ml  Hind,  that 
-u  and  Mexi- 
ppeared  off  the 
mbly  43°  and 
Francisco  bay. 
Vlalucca  islands 
ng   the    second 

•ographical  rc- 
whose  shores 
took  a  more 
all   unknown 

le   necessity   ot 

that  should  let 
:aused  English 
o  the    Atlantic 


KXI'LOkATION  NC)R'r}I\VI-;ST\VAkI ) 


l,V 


side.  Kven  before  Drake's  setting  out  on  his  memorable  voyage 
Frobisher  had  led  the  way  into  the  extreme  northeastern  inlets  of  the 
continent.  Davis,  Weymouth,  Hudson,  Baffin,  Foxe  and  James 
continued  the  search  in  this  quarter  for  half  a  century.  Hudson's 
life  was  sacrificed  in  this  quest  (1610-11).  The  map  from  the  Hud- 
son bay  region  north  commemorates  to  an  uiuisually  satisfactory 
degreethe  efforts  of  these  explorers. 

The  supposed  northwest  passage  had  already  taken  such  a 
hold  of  the  minds  of  the  cartographers  that  it  had  been  represent- 
ed on  the  maps  as  the  Strait  of  Anian.  The  Spanish  in  Mexico 
received  reports  that  Drake  had  found  it  and  they  were  aroused 
to  efforts  directed  to  securing  possession  of  it.  Kspejo  was  sent 
by  land  to  the  northwest;  crossing  the  path  of  Coronado,  he  pene- 
trated to  the  region  where  Prescott  now  stands.  Other  expedi- 
tions were  organized  and  by  1598  New  Mexico  was  conquered  and 
perma!iently  settled. 

At  about  the  time  of  Drake's  voyage  the  Spanish  succeeded  in 
establishing  a  regular  commerce  between  Acapulco  (Mexico)  and 
Manila  (Philippine  Is.).  The  constant  trade  winds  blowing  to  the 
west  made  the  northern  regions  of  the  Japanese  current  and  return 
trades  the  only  practicable  return  sailing  route.  De  Gali  first 
struck  out  in  this  direction  in  1584  and  sighted  the  shores  of  Cali- 
fornia on  his  eastward  voyage  in  latitude  37"  30'.  Other  naviga- 
tors followed  the  track  marked  by  him  and  the  coast  of  Ujsper 
California  was  brought  into  better  knowledge.  In  1602  Viscaino 
was  despatched  from  Acapulco  to  the  north  for  the  double  purpose 
of  finding  a  harbor  up  the  coast  which  returning  vessels  from  the 
Philippines  could  enter  for  safety  or  repairs  and  for  locating  the 
mysterious  strait  which  led  to  the  Atlantic.  He  himself  went  up 
to  the  42",  but  one  of  his  vessels  under  Martin  Aguilar  proceede<l 
to  43".  He  reported  that  there  he  found  the  entrance  of 
a  river  or  a  strait  not  far  from  Cape  Blanco.  For  a  long  period 
tlie  entrance  and  Aguilar's  name  stood  together  on  the  maps. 

This  false  report  which  may  have  been  merely  a  mistake  com- 
liined  with  others  that  were  pure  fabrications  brought  confusion 
worse  confounded  into  the  geography  of  tlie  Pacific  northwest. 
Among  otlier  things  the  gulf  of  California  was  extended  to  the 
north  and  (1622)  it  was  made  to  connect  with  the  ocean  at  its  up- 
per end.  California  for  about  a  century  was  represented  as  an 
island  quite  as  frequently  as  a  peninsula. 


37 


14. 


rtKMI-CENTHNXIAI,  HISTORY  Ol'  ORKCOX: 


The  opcuinj;  of  the  seventeenth  century  marks  the  eoniple- 
tion  of  the  first  hundred  years  of  activity  in  the  exploration  of  tlic 
North  American  hinds.  Only  a  narrow  zone  stretching  from 
PjafFin's  l)ay  around  to  the  southwest,  with  a  slight  extension  to 
the  north  at  the  west,  to  the  limits  of  upper  California  had  been 
developed.  The  great  interior  features  of  the  continent,  the 
valleys  of  the  Mississippi,  .St.  Lawrence,  the  Hudson  bay  basin, 
the  Mackenzie,  the  Yukon  and  the  Columbia  l)asins  were  all  ini- 
dctcrmined. 

Spain  had  lapsed  into  a  passive  condition  and  only  now  and 
then  to  be  aroused  to  fitful  defensive  effort.  Ivnglish  energj'  was 
soon  engrossed  for  a  ccntur>'and  a  half  in  the  colonization  of  the 
Atlantic  slope  from  M.ai!ie  to  Florida.  There  a  new  civilization 
and  the  germs  of  a  new  empire  were  preparing.  After  two  cen- 
turies its  turn  will  come  and  with  a  Captain  Gray,  a  Lewis  and 
Clark  will  do  its  part  toward  the  development  of  the  geography 
of  the  continent.  So  from  the  opening  of  the  seventeenth  century 
it  is  the  French  alone  who  for  a  century  and  a  half  (barring  the 
Russian  operations  under  Bering)  bore  the  role  of  explorers  in 
America. 

When  Champlain  and  his  successors  in  turn  used  the  St. 
Tvawrctice  as  a  waterway  leading  to  the  interior  of  the  continent 
each  cherished  the  hope  that  he  would  open  a  route  to  China. 
When  in  161 5  Champlain  reached  the  eastern  shores  of  Lake  Huron 
he  thought  that  the  great  western  Sea  of  Cathay  lay  almost  with- 
in his  ken.  He  proposed  to  his  King  to  find  a  way  to  China 
through  the  St.  Lawrence.  At  *^his  period  it  was  generally  sup- 
posed that  the  vSt.  Lawrence  had  its  source  near  the  head  of  the 
gulf  of  California. 

In  1634  Champlain,  now  grown  old  and  China  not  yet  reach- 
ed, despatched  Nicolct  to  the  west  to  solve  the  raj'stery.  Having 
penetrated  to  the  west  of  Lake  Michigan  Nicolet  heard  that  the 
"great  water"  was  only  three  days  oflf.  He  interpreted  the  "great 
water"  as  being  an  expansive  sea,  but  for  some  reason  did  not 
press  on  to  behold  it.  Again  in  1670  Fathers  Allouez  and  Mar- 
quette while  out  near  the  headwaters  of  lakes  Michigan  and  vSu- 
perior  heard  the  Indians'  stories  about  the  "great  water"  and  in- 
terpreted them  as  as  referring  to  a  river.  The  conception  of  this 
mighty  river  takes  hold  of  the  imagination  of  La  Salic  and  to  him 
it  becomes  a  vision  of  a  great  waterway  leading  to  the  gulf  of  Cali- 

38 


-5 

1 


tlic  coniplc- 
lloration  of  the 
[•etchiiig  from 
extension  to 
hiia  had  been 
pntinent,  the 
in  bay  basin, 
Is  were  all  ini- 

only  now  and 
sh  energy  was 
iiization  of  the 
ew  civili/.ation 
After  two  cen- 
a  Lewis  and 
the  geography 
Miteenth  centnry 
ilf  (barring  the 
of  explorers  in 

:n  used  the  vSt. 
•)f  the  continetit 
route  to  China, 
es  of  Lake  Huron 
lay  almost  with- 
a  way  to  China 
IS  generally  sup- 
the  head   of  the 

ina  not  yet  reach- 
tnystery.  Having 
heard  that  the 
rpreted  the  "great 
;  reason  did  not 
Vllouez  and  Mar- 
/lichigan  and  f^u- 
it  water"  and  in- 
^onception  of  this 
a  Salle  and  to  him 
tothcgulf  of  Cali- 


F.XPLORATION  NORTHWllSTWARl ). 


»«■ 


fornia  and  the  French  would  in  it  have  a  channel  to  the  South 
Sea  and  access  to  a  route  to  China  quite  as  convenient  as  the 
vSpanish  route  from  Acapulco. 

Treachery  and  mishaps  before  which  a  spirit  of  less  h.eroic 
fortitude  than  La  vSalle's  would  have  quailed  deprived  him  of  the 
gratification  of  the  rediscovery  of  the  Mississippi.  When  in  ifi;^ 
Marquette  and  Joliet  descended  it  to  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas 
and  virtually  proved  that  its  outlet  was  into  the  gulf  of  Mexico 
geographical  ideas  were  corrected  and  extended,  litit  the  hopes  of 
the  iron-hearted  cavalier  were  dashed  to  the  ground.  He  sent 
Father  Hennepin  t<nvards  its  source  where  perchance  might  yet 
l)e  found  an  easy  jxirtage  to  the  vSouth  Sea. 

Marquette  and  Joliet  and  La  Salle  himself  a  few  years  later 
C16S2)  in  making  the  descent  of  the  Mississippi  noticed  the 
mighty  volume  of  the  Missouri  coming  in  from  the  west.  It  told 
of  tlie  vast  expanse  of  continental  area  towards  the  setting  sun. 
So  La  Salle  was  compelled  to  turn  from  his  darling  enterprise  (his 
"feudal  domain  of  St.  vSulpice,  near  Montreal,  bears  to  this  day 
the  name  of  La  Chine  China  -which  is  said  to  have  been  ajiplicd 
to  it  in  derision  of  this  fruitless  attempt  to  find  the  Pacific  and  tlie 
wny  to  Cathay")  to  that  of  taking  possession  for  his  king  of  tlie 
imperial  realms  now  disclosed  extending  from  the  crest  of  the  Al- 
leghanics  to  the  as  yet  luivisited  Rockies.  His  doom  to  die  by 
a  felon's  hand  was  near.  His  nation's  hold  on  these  graiul  pos- 
scssi()!is  for  feudalism  and  absolutism  also  had  its  days  numbered. 
These  regions  lay  in  the  path  of  expanding  liberty  and  democracy. 

There  wa.s  yet  another  French  explorer  of  the  same  high  ad- 
venturous spirit  who  became  infatuated  with  the  idea  of  opening 
a  route  from  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  western  sea.  In 
1729  Verendrye  was  in  command  of  the  post  at  Lake  Nipigon, 
north  of  Lake  Superior.  From  reports  common  among  tlie 
Indians  he  had  come  to  believe  that  only  twenty  days'  journey  to 
the  west  was  a  lake  with  an  outlet  to  the  the  Hudson  bay,  one  to 
the  Mississippi  and  one  westward  with  an  ebb  and  flow  of  the 
stream  in  the  direction  of  a  great  salt  sea.  In  r^^,  1  he  had  secur- 
ed from  some  Montreal  traders  an  equipment  for  the  quest.  For 
nine  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  preliminary  work  of  building 
forts  ar.d  making  explorations  from  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  to  the 
mouth  nf  the  river  Saskatchewan.  Finally  on  January  the  ist, 
17^3,  while  his  sons  were  advancing  up    the   valley   of  the    Mis- 

39 


'i 


16. 


SKMI-CKNTI'NNIAL  HISTOKY  OF  ORICr.ON. 


^     fV 


souri,  Vercndrye  himself  hcinR  lerapnrarily  disabled,  they  saw 
some  outlying  ranges  of  the  Rocky  Moniitains.  Further  advance 
was,  however,  out  of  the  question.  His  means  were  gone  and  he 
was  discredited.  Others  entered  on  the  fruits  of  his  labors  hut 
the  enmity  of  the  Indians  incited  by  the  agents  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  soon  made  the  advancing  parties  recoil.  The  great  strug- 
gle with  the  ICnglish  for  the  possession  of  the  continent  was  at 
hand,  and  France  was  to  lose  all.  The  desired  route  to  China 
hail  led  them  lar  afield.  The  world  was  richer  by  a  vast  exten- 
sion of  its  geographical  knowledge  of  the  interior  of  the  continent. 
An  activity  in  the  trade  of  furs  too  was  created.  It  was  the  com- 
mercial motive  connected  with  this  trade  that  was  to  push  for- 
ward to  completion  the  exploration  of  the  far  northwest. 

While  Verendrye  was  advancing  towards  the  Rockies,  Bering 
was  sailing  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Arctic  and .  determining  the 
eastern  limits  of  the  continent  of  Asia.  The  Russians  had  by 
slow  stages  traversed  Siberia  and  had  been  operating  on  the 
eastern  shores  of  Asia  nearly  a  century  before  Bering  set  out  in 
1728  on  his  famous  voyage.  The  proximity  of  the  American 
continent  was  soon  discovered.  lu  1741  Bering  made  his  second 
voyage.  He  sighted  the  American  continent  in  the  region  of  Mt. 
St.  IClias  and  coasting  westward  suffered  shipwreck  and  death  on 
Bering  island  near  the  Kamchatkan  coast. 

Separation  of  the  American  Continent  from  Asia  was  proven 
atul  preparation  made  for  a  Russian  foothold  on  the  western 
v.'orld 

Early  in  1773  the  governmei^t  at  Madrid  received  informa- 
tion through  the  Spanish  minister  at  St.  Petersburg  of  the  re- 
newed Russian  activity  in  the  North  Pacific.  Carlos  1 1 1  had  at 
Mexico  in  Galvez  an  alert  and  vigorous  viceroy  for  his  North 
American  ix)ssessions.  California  had  beeii  occupied  in  1769  and 
in  the  spring  of  1774  an  expedition  under  Perez  was  ready  with 
instructions  to  proceed  to  the  north  and  not  to  approach  land 
until  at  least  as  high  latitude  as  60"  was  reached,  and  thence  to 
follow  the  coast  southward.  "No  settlements  were  to  be  made  but 
the  best  places  were  to  be  noted;  and  the  commander  was  to  take 
possession  of  such  places  for  the  king.  .  .  If  any  foreign  settlement 
was  found,  the  formality  of  taking  possession  must  be  commenced 
above  it."  The  highest  point  reached  was  55"  instead  of  60*";  no 
landing  was  made;  no  good  ports  wore  located;  no  foreign  scttle- 

40 


I 


KXl'I.OKATION  NORTH WKSTWARU. 


»7- 


I  hey  saw 

r  advance 
)ne  and  he 
labors  hut 
dson's  Bay 
^rcat  strug- 
lent  was  at 
c  to  China 
vast  exten- 
;  continent. 
IS  the  cora- 
)  push  for- 
it. 

ties,  Bering 
raining  the 
ans  had  by 
ng   on   the 

set  out  in 
;   American 

his  second 

gion  of  Mt. 

id  death  on 

was  proven 
ihe   western 

ed  informa- 

g  of  the  re- 

1 1 1  had  at 

r  his  North 

in  1769  and 
ready  with 
proach  land 
id  thence  to 
be  made  but 
was  to  take 
fn  settlement 
:  commenced 
d  of  60^' ;  no 
roign  settle- 


I 


mcnts  wcr-;^  found,  tior  their  non-existence  proven;  still  a  largo 
part  of  the  coast  was  surveyed,  and  Spain  gained  the  honor  of 
having  discovered  practically  the  whole  of  the  Northwest  coast. 

The  next  year  another  exjjedition  was  sent  out  under  Ileceta 
and  Cuadra.  This  had  serious  trouble  with  the  Indiatis  in  a  landing 
madeon  the  northwest  coast  of  what  is  now  the  state  of  Washington. 
Heceta  noticed  the  inlet  of  the  coast  made  by  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia,  but  was  not  sure  whether  it  was  a  river  or  a  strait  and 
did  not  attempt  an  exploration  of  it.  Cuadra  with  the  re- 
mainder of  the  expedition  re-visited  the  coast  farther  north.  Ac- 
counts of  these  voyages  were  not  published,  so  later  Ivnglish  nav- 
igators were  long  given  the  honor  of  discoverers  and  names  given 
by  them  have  clung  to  the  main  geographical  features  of  the 
coast. 

In  1778  the  famous  navigator,  James  Cook,  came  from  the 
Sandwich  Islands  of  which  he  was  the  discoverer  to  the  north- 
west coast  in  search  of  a  passage  to  Europe.  The  Ivnglish  gov- 
ernment had  just  offered  a  reward  of  20,000  pounds  to  the  officers 
and  crew  of  any  vessel  discovering  a  passage  to  the  Atlantic 
north  of  52".  Cook  for  a  week  remained  in  latitude  43"  t045*'  with 
the  coast  in  sight.  He  named  capes  Foulweather  and  Per- 
petua,  and  noticed  that  there  was  no  entrance  or  strait  where 
Aguilar  had  reported  one.  He  did  not  ight  the  coast  agaiti 
until  in  the  region  of  Cape  Flattery,  which  he  named.  He 
missed  the  strait  of  Juan  De  Fuca.  A  long  stay  was  made  at 
Nootka  Sound  on  the  west  shore  of  Vancouver's  Island,  though 
the  insular  character  of  the  region  was  not  suspected.  Thence  he 
departed  to  the  north.  A  few  furs  gathered  on  this  voyage  were 
sold  in  China  at  a  prodigious  rate  of  profit.  The  new  opportu- 
nity for  commercial  gain  in  maritime  fur  trade  in  the  North 
Pacific  thus  challenged  the  spirit  of  the  enterprising  merchant 
the  world  over.  The  English  were  first  to  venture.  Their  opera- 
tions began  in  1785.  The  French  explorer,  Le  Perouse,  looked 
over  the  field  carefuUj'  the  next  year.  Two  years  later  six  Bos- 
ton merchants  fitted  out  the  ship  Columbia  and  the  sloop  Lady 
Washington  under  the  commands  of  Captains  Kendrick  and  Gray 
respectively.  Both  wintered  on  Vancouver's  Island  and  secured 
a  cargo  of  furs  in  the  spring  of  1789.  Captain  Gray  being  trans- 
ferred to  the  Columbia  took  the  furs  to  China  and  having  ex- 
changed them  for  tea   continued   his  voyage,     the  first  to  carry 

4t 


iS. 


.SICMI-ClvNTIvNNIAI,  IIK^TORV  OF  ORKCON: 


*: 


the  American  flag  arouiul  the  world.  In  1791  he  wasba^ 
coast.  In  the  spring  of  1792,  the  Sloop  Adventure,  tl 
vessel  built  on  this  northwest  coast,  was  launched.  I' 
went  south  in  the  Columbia  in  search  of  opportunities 
with  the  Indians  and  on  the  nth  of  May  entered  for  the 
the  Columbia,  which  is  named  after  his  vessel.  The  Kn 
tains  Meares  and  Vancouver  had  seen  the  bay  at  the  mo 
Columbia  but  had  failed  to  identify  it  as  the  estuary  o 
river  and  had  quailed  before  the  idea  of  entering  it.  Or 
ing  and  success  and  the  significance  of  his  achievement 
characterized  by  Mr.  Lyman  in  the  first  paper  of  this  se: 

American  enterprise  was  soon  in  the  lead  in  the  mai 
trade.     In  1791  the  Knglish  government  had  despatched 
\'ancouver  to  this  coast  to  make  the  last  search  for  the  i 
the  Atlantic.       He  conducted  an  pdmirable  survey  of 
region  and  laid  the  phantom  hope  to  rest. 

During  the  last  thirty  years  of  the  century  progress 
landward   side  was  keeping  jiace  with  the  discoveries 
ships.      There  were  the  same  20,000  pound  rewards  offi 
in  1745  and  again  in  1776,  for  finding  a  passage  from  th< 
liaj'  to  the  Pacific.       The  Hudson's   Hay  Company  sen 
Hearne  down  the  Coppermine  river  to  the  Arctic  ocear 
Alexander    Mackenzie,  under  the    auspices  of  the  now 
Northwest  Fur  Company,  in  17S9  followed  to  the  sea  the 
bears  his  name.     Three  years  later  he  started  up  the  Pe 
and  crossing  over  to  the  sources  of  the  Frazer  river,  he  f( 
to  about  latitude  53"  when  he   struck  through  the  wilt 
the  Pacific.       He  was  the  first  white  man  to  make  the 
trip  across  the  continent. 

The  second  transcontinental  passage  was  made  twe 
later   by  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition.     The   contii 
traversed  five  hundred  miles  to  the  south  of  the  route 
Mackenzie.     The  Coltnnbia  was  traced  from  one  of  its  s 
its  mouth.     The  objects  of  the  expedition  as  stated  in 
JeiTerson's  original  instructions  to  Captain  Lewis  were: 
plore  the  Missouri  river  and  such  principal  streams  of 
its  course  and  communication   with    the   waters   of  tli 
ocean,  whether  the  Columbia,  Oregan,  [sic]  Colorado,  or 
river,  may  offe:  the  most  direct  aiul  practicable  water  coi 
tion  across  the  continent,    for    the    pur])oscs   of  comme 


mtmmmmmmmmmm 


ISTORV  OI'^  ORIvCON: 

Id.  In  1791  he  was  back  on  this 
;  Sloop  Adventure,  the  second 
ist,  was  launched,  (^.ray  then 
arch  of  opportunities  to  traffic 
o(  May  entered  for  the  first  time 
;r  his  vessel.  The  English  cap- 
leeii  the  bay  at  the  month  of  the 
fy  it  as  the  estuary  of  a  great 
lea  of  entering  it,  Gray's  dar- 
ce  of  his  achievement  are  fitly 
le  first  paper  of  this  series. 

in  the  lead  in  the  maritime  fur 
muent  had  despatched  Captain 
he  last  search  for  the  passage  to 

pdmirable  survey  of  the  coast 

to  rest. 
>f  the  century  progress  from  the 

with  the  discoveries  made  in 
000  pound  rewards  oflfered,  first 
ling  a  passage  from  the  Hudson 
11' s  Bay  Company  sent  Samuel 
ver  to  the  Arctic  ocean  in  1770. 

auspices  of  the  now  vigorous 
followed  to  the  sea  the  river  that 
!r  he  started  up  the  Peace  river, 
f  the  Frazer  river,  he  followed  it 
truck  through  the  wilderness  to 
hite  man  to  make  the  westward 

>assage  was  made  twelve  years 
cpeditinn.  The  continent  was 
e  south  of  the  route  taken  by 
;raced  from  one  of  its  sources  to 
pedition  as  stated  in  President 
Captain  Lewis  were:  "To  ex- 
L  principal  streams  of  it,  as  by 
ith  the  waters  of  the  Pacific 
gan,  [sic]  Colorado,  or  any  other 
ul  practicable  water  communica- 
?    pnri)oscs   of  commerce."     In 


EX I'l.OR ATTON  NdRTI IWI-l.^TWA R 1 ). 


19. 


conceiving  and  plainiing  this  project  and  supporting  it  to  success- 
ful achievement,  Thomas  Jeflerson  showed  truly  prophetic  leader- 
ship, having  in  view  the  highest  destinies  of  the  American  people. 
It  pointed  out  the  way  to  a  host  of  fur  traders  and  pioneers.  Limi- 
tations of  space  forbid  ray  entering  upon  a  narrative  of  this  expedi- 
tion. Suffice  it  to  say  the  enterprise  in  its  conception  and  execution 
was  a  worthy  Jjf/a/f  to  the  three  centuries  of  exploration  north- 
westward. The  map  of  Norh  America  in  its  grand  features  was 
now  complete. 

We  have  before  us  now  the  historic  processions  of  explorers  con- 
verging in  their  routes  upon  this  North  Pacific  coast.  The  valiant 
Cortes,  representative  of  Spanish  power  and  ambition  in  its  prime, 
first  sternly  set  his  face  northwestward.  The  vSpanish  procession 
followed  up  the  coast  and  across  the  parched  region  of  the  Rio 
(■rande  and  Colorado.  But  the  sources  of  vSpanish  energy  become 
atrophied.  Her  outlying  dominions  are  held  with  a  nerveless 
grasp.  Still  her  navigators  win  for  her  priority  in  the  discovery  of 
the  whole  coast  region.  She  makes  pretentions  to  exclusive  posses- 
sion but  recedes  upon  the  first  challenge  of  it  by  luigland.  We 
caiuiot  but  admire  the  movement  of  the  French  up  the  vSt.  Law- 
rence, and  the  Great  Lakes  even  to  the  sources  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, Missouri,  and  Saskatchewan.  Champlain,  LavSalle,  and  Ver- 
cndrye  seem  grandly  competent  in  leadership.  But  the  civiliza- 
tion, the  institutions  under  them  and  behind  them  in  France  can- 
not hold  their  own  against  a  sturdier  rival,  and  French  expansion 
to  the  northwest  stops  and  its  results  are  reaped  l)y  other 
nationalities.  Russia  makes  a  long  march  across  the  wa^Lcs  of 
Siberia  and  under  Bering  prepares  to  share  in  American  possessif)ns. 
With  Drake  and  Cavendish  Ivngland  sweeps  "around  the  Horn" 
into  the  North  Pacific  to  begin  the  Anglo-vSaxon  onslaught  upon 
Spain,  the  final  blow  of  wiiich  was  delivered  at  vSantiago.  Two 
centuries  later  the  FInglish  movement  northwestward  comes  on  in 
two  branches,  one  by  sea  headed  l)y  Captain  Cook,  one  by  land 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  and  the  Northwest  fur 
companies.  \'ancouver  and  Mackenzie  reach  tlie  goal  in  the  same 
effective  Kngiish  way. 

During  the  hiatus  of  nearly  two  centuries  of  iCnglish  exploring 
ictivity  luiglish  energy  was  lieing  directed  into  the  new  l)ranoh 
of  the  national  stock  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  This  new  l)ranch  of 
linglish  speaking  people,  having  set  up  for    lliemselves,  begin  to 


30. 


SEMI-CKNTENNIAI.  HISTORY  OF  OREGON. 


i 


realize  at  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century  that  they  have  a 
larger  stake  in  this  westward  movement  than  any  other  nation.  In 
the  valley  ofthe  Columbia  Anglo-Saxons  of  the  old  and  new  branch- 
es meet.  The  English  branch  has  allied  with  it  the  strength  of 
the  native  races, but  it  has  also  the  old  mediaeval  organization  and 
aims.  These  were  absorbed  partly  from  the  French  on  the  way 
across  the  continent  and  partly  from  the  elements  of  paternalism 
in  the  charter  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  The  American  home- 
building  individualism  and  democracy  against  which  the  English 
feudalism  was  pitted  was  on  its  own  ground  in  the  Columbia  wilder- 
ness. It  had  been  developed  as  a  new  civilization  in  wilderness 
winning.  Unless  other  factors  represented  at  the  centers  of  the 
national  strength  of  each  nation  were  brought  into  the  contest  the 
outcome  was  inevitable.  Youth  and  age  of  the  same  race  con- 
fronted each  other.  Or  rather  a  higher  social  organization 
had  met  to  overcome  a  lower. 

In  the  larger  apportionment  of  the  continent  as  a  whole  among 
the  European  nations  who  hud  aided  in  disclosing  it,  the  outcome 
turned  on  the  same  principles.  Degree  of  utilization  determined 
destiny.  The  basis  of  national  strength  is  secured  through  the 
utilization  of  the  energies  of  the  environment.  The  people  that 
make  the  highest  and  largest  use  of  their  means  will  always  win. 
American  individualism  was  wonderfully  adapted  to  the  work  of 
penetrating  and  subduing  the  wilderness.  But  a  new  work  is  now 
at  hand.  Requisites  for  highest  welfare  ever  new  are  demanded. 

F.  G.  YOUNG. 


I 


c':\ 


44 


they  have  a 
ler  nation.  In 
new  branch- 
strength  of 
mization  and 
h  on  the  way 
f  paternaUsm 
lerican  home- 
a  the  English 
ambia  wilder- 
in  wilderness 
centers  of  the 
he  contest  the 
ame  race  con- 
organization 

I  whole  among 
;,  the  outcome 
on  determined 
i  through  the 
he  people  that 

II  always  win. 
to  the  work  of 
2W  work  is  now 
e  demanded. 

YOUNG. 


•  •  •  ■  fv^  •  '■  ■■  ■■  ■•  b  -^  ^  *^  V  ^\  vAy^>^- ' ' ,  v^-^ 


EXPLORATION 

COHTlhEt^T    v^ 
nATlONALlTIES., 

Ob».tV\fc\ 

^TCVttUdwA.'  •••• 


nriii:'..^ 


!  m ! 


I 

I 


HAJA 


THE.  ACTUAL  AMERICA     IN    RELATION 
TO    dF.hAin'5   CJEOGRAPHY. 


0    ^^^, 


Ai,ot<> 


6« 


*. 


Ri)Y5<;n,    1^04. 


V 


<:ARTA  riARIMA, 


Working  out  of  the  irlea  that  the  North-American  latuls  wore  the  eastern  extension  of  As 


tli| 


V 

^ 

ff<> 

«u 

^=^-          5-. 

♦Vl 

«<Db 

••H 

-(£ 

!  >■" 

HARRIS  r,AP,     nos. 
MJTCH    MAP,      ii^--5. 

First  explorations  on  the  Northern  Pacific  coast;  and  evidence  of  the  later  reifrn   of  unfounded 

siiriiiiso  "  v^. 1.1. 11.11 


surmise. 


:tension  of  Asia. 


:   -1 

M       ;          j^ ' 

)! 

A 

1^ 


r/ 


^aT, 


«7£5- 


( 


<•  '^ 


x^%\&to<!h 


RICA  ^- 


\ 


<.i^ 


;• 


'4%' 


)1^^\W0R,)569. 


Bold  guesses  remarkable  for  degree  of  approximation  to  reality 

In  the  upper  we  have  the  first  extension  of  name   "America"  to  the 
northern  continent. 

In  the  lower  there  is  an  early  representation  of  the  straits  and   realm 
of  Anian. 


'*•"  "-'imwaw  m^hMemmhsrmamsaam,u 


ility. 

iierica"  to  the 


lits  and  realm 


\  '^^J 


^  <^ 


^-^(^^r.. 


THE 
VE1\(\AZ.AK0 

HAP,       5J5L^ 


.p^s 


mmi  lOK.  .*»i. 


\ 


A<iU 


t>t  LiiLti  hap; 


Maps  showing  the  domination  of  the  idea  that  the  lands  discovered 
■I  continuous  coast-line  had  been  traced  that  they  were  a  strip  of  tcrntorj 
explorations  continued,  that  they  constituted  a  continent  with  numeroi 
the  northwest. 


;a  that  the  lands  discovered  in  the  north  were  a  string  of  islands;  after 
they  were  a  strip  of  territory  with  an  isthmus  in  latitude  35"-4o°;and,as 
;d  a  continent  with  numerous  seas  and  easy  inter-oceanic   passages   in 


t 


n»v 


THE  HUDSON'S  BAY  COMPANY 


REGIME  IN  THE  OREGON 


COUNTRY. 


Kngland  has  always  profited  by  her  dauntless  trading  cap- 
tains. Around  the  world  their  stakes  were  set  for  future  occupa- 
tion. Oglethorpe,  Baltimore,  Raleigh,  Peim,  New  England  grants, 
gave  her  colonies  on  the  Atlantic.  Her  Hudson's  Bay  and  North- 
west companies  captured  British  America  Cook  and  his  follow- 
ers gave  her  Australasia.  The  East  India  Company  absorbed  that 
famed  old  India,  the  coveted  dream  of  princes  for  a  thousand 
years.  Out  of  her  ver\'  misfortunes  rose  greatest  opportunities. 
When  her  little  island  realm  was  too  small,  she  sent  her  Sinbads 
out.  When  fire  and  plague  devastated  London  and  impoverished 
her  nobles,  she  sent  them  over-seas  to  bitid  the  Northland  with 
her  iron  chain.  Even  her  criminals  colonized  Botany  Bay.  British 
Guiana,  British  Honduras,  British  Borneo,  are  synonymous  with 
commercial  venture.  British  Eg^'p*  dominates  the  Soudan; 
British  locomotives  scream  where  Stanley  toiled  on  foot;  British 
homes  have  superseded  kraals  of  Hottentots.  A  British  highway 
from  Cape  Town  to  Alexandria  is  the  all-but-acccmplishcd  dream 

5" 


'7- 


si:mi-ci;nti;nnial  history  of  ori;(;ox: 


f)f  I'lnpire-carviiiK  Cecil  Rhodes.  Her  syndicates  arc  tmw  in  China. 
That  Ore^m  is  not  today  a  Hritisli  colony  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
An^;lo-Saxon  met  Anglo-vSaxon.  America,  too,  has  sent  her 
tradinj;  captains  out. 

To  a  casual  observer  the  Hudson's  liay  Company  rcRtme 
in  the  Ore^nn  country  seems  like  a  tar,  heroic  lime,  an  aj;e 
of  myth  and  table,  loni?  l)elbre  Americans  had  rij,'ht  or  title  to  this 
norhwest  coast.  The  facts  are  far  otherwise.  vScarcely  was  Corn- 
wallis  home  Irom  Yorktown  l^fore  our  ship.s  were  on  these  shores. 
Sea  captains  of  our  Revolution  led  the  way,  they  pre-empted  the 
Cr)lumbia,  and  tax-free  t(Kik  home  tea  from  Cliina. 

The  story  of  McI,(mRhlin,  charming  as  it  may  be,  is  not  the 
story  of  ()re,u;on,  but  an  incident  in  a  chain  of  stories.  For  more 
than  a  (juarter  of  a  century  before  McI.ouKhlin's  British  flotilla 
came  ilown  to  Astoria,  our  Boston  traders  had  l)een  entering  the 
gates  of  Oregon,  had  named  her  mightiest  river,  had  fixed  their 
personality  so  upon  the  native  tribes  that  all  Americans  were  "Bos- 
tons," from  vSitka  vSouiul  to  San  Francisco,  It  was  not  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company,  not  even  the  Northwest  Company,  but  Lewis 
and  Clark,  that  first  scaled  the  Rockies  and  traversed  the  wilds  of 
biaho.  Not  Canadian  voyageurs,  Imt  the  private  secretary  of  an 
American  President  and  officers  of  the  United  States  Army,  that 
first  ran  the  gauntlet  of  the  swirling  Dalles,  and  measured  the 
Columbia  to  the  sea.  Then  New  York  stepped  in  witli  Astor  to 
forge  another  link  in  our  chain  of  title  to  "the  Oregon  country." 
Not  McLoughlin,  but  Astor,  an  American  citizen,  built  the  first 
forts  in  Oregon  and  summoned  to  his  emporium  fur  brigades 
from  the  llmpciua  to  the  l-'razer.  The  land  had  lieen  discovered, 
had  been  explored,  had  been  commercially  traversed  by  Ameri- 
cans from  Boston,  New  York,  Virginia,  before  a  single  British 
trader  undertook  to  join  this  Oregon  country  to  the  grant  at 
Hudson's  Bay. 

The  infant  republic  of  North  Amcricn  YiA  a  mighty  territory 
to  cover  with  her  handful  of  people,  aw;>v  and  away  and  away  it 
stretched,  no  man  saw  the  bounds  ther-'of.  All  the  world  turned 
in  to  help  her;  the  industrial  enterprise  of  Europe  landed  on  our 
eastern  shores  and  rolled  in  mighty  tidewaves  westward;  so  busy 
were  we  levelling  forests  and  building  farms  east  of  the  Mississippi 
that  for  a  moment  Oregon  was  left.  'IMial  was  ICngland's  op- 
portunity. 

51 


iirnsoN'S  ii.w  coMi'ANv  ki-ciMi;.  js. 

That  Charles  II  granted  a  nionopoly  of  furs  (u\  IIiulsoii's  Hay 
lo  his  "lK.-l()ve(l  cousin,  I'riiuv  Ru])crt,"  has  been  crilicised.  I'li- 
justly.  Hy  just  such  strokes  as  this,  ICnghitul  dutch(.'<l  theworhl. 
Prince  Rupert  nu<\  his  friends,  "the  j>;ciitlemen  trading?  into  Hud- 
son's Hay,"  were  an  impecunious  lot;  to  retrieve  their  broken  for- 
tunes they  looked  beyond  the  sea,  to  that  sub-arctic  wilderness 
where  no  man  held  possession,  where  nature  beckoned  with  her 
riches.  ThcvSpaniard  followed  the  luxurious  south,  the  french- 
man took  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  KuKlishman  built  his  fort  amid 
the  rigors  of  Hudson's  Hay,  He  reached  out  west  and  north. 
lMi<}[lish  arms  took  Canada.  Hudson's  Hay  expanded  until  it 
took  in  half  of  North  America.  A  Canadian-Hritish  rivid,  born 
at  Montreal,  began  to  dispute  Hudson's  Hay  monopoly  of  ill  the 
earth,  it  claimed  the  Arctic,  the  Pacific.  They  met  ajul  «|uar- 
relcd.  A  year  and  a  day  from  Waterloo  they  fought  on  the  plains 
of  Manitoba.  Hritons  spilt  Hritish  bloml  at  Winnipeg.  Parlia- 
ment called  a  halt  among  these  contentious  children,  "Hritons 
may  fight  Frenchmen,  Indians,  Americans,  anybody  but  each  other. 
Come,  compromise, raarr.  ,"  said  motherly  old  Kngland,  "marry, and 
I  will  gi%'e  you  a  wedding  present."  So  the  hoary  old  Hudson's  Hay 
Company  proposed  to  the  blooming  young  Northwest  Company. 
It  was  plainly  a  wedding  of  capital  and  lalxir.  The  Northwest 
Company  had  nothing  but  her  hands,  her  courage  and  her  splendid 
exploration.  Hehind  the  Hudson's  Hay  were  the  money-bags  of 
of  nobles  and  the  Bank  of  Kngland.  Representatives  of  each  went 
to  IvOndon  to  fix  up  the  wedding  dowry.  One  of  these  representa- 
tives was  the  most  far-.seeiug  of  all  the  Northwesters,  Dr.  John 
McLoughlin,  then  in  charge  at  Fort  William,  the  emporium  of  the 
Northwest  Company  on  Lake  vSuperior.  John  McLoughlin  stood 
out  for  better  terms  at  that  London  meeting.  Some  of  them  never 
forgot  that  insubordinate  spirit,  it  reminded  them  of  the  rebels  of 
the  American  Revolution.  Too  long  had  McLoughlin  breathed 
the  free  air  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  too  lotig  had  he  ruled  the  wilds, 
to  submit  tamely  to  effacement  in  the  rival  body.  He  spoke  as  a 
Northwester  for  Northwesters;  he  did  not  win  his  point,  but  he 
never  signed  his  name  to  the  ultimate  terms  of  agreement. 

Long  ago,  as  a  trading  captain  after  England's  own  heart.  Dr. 
McLoughlin  had  looked  on  Oregon.  He  saw  a  new  field,  a  great 
field,  a  covetefl  stronghold  on  the  Pacific,  and  hither  they  sent 
McLoughlin.     His  was  an  empire  in  itself,    from    Alaska  to  Cah- 

53 


29.  SKMI-CKNTKNNIAL  HISTORY  OF  ORKGON. 

foniia,  from  the  Rocky  mountains  to  the  ocean.  The  United 
States  was  not  asleep,  she  was  not  even  dreaming,  but  every  nerve 
was  bent  on  building  up  the  Kast.  In  due  time  Oregon  received 
attention.  For  the  present,  British  energy  tamed  our  red  men, 
trapped  our  wild  animals,  and  took  commission  in  their  skins. 
Perhaps,  ordained  of  God,  it  paved  the  way  for  us. 

Dr.  John  McLoughlin  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
reached  Oregon  together,  in  1824.  Between  time  and  fire,  old 
Fort  Astoria,  our  first  American  structure,  was  in  decay.  And  a 
British  flag  could  not  fly  above  its  ramparts,  it  was  ours.  Mc- 
Loughlin missed  his  late  imperial  fastness  in  the  north.  He 
would  be  monarch  in  his  fort.  Go  to  Irving 's  "Astoria"  for 
a  description  of  the  Northwest  traders  en  route  to  Fort  William: 
The  partners  from  Montreal  "ascended  the  rivers  in  great  state, 
like  sovereigns  making  a  progress;  or  rather  like  Highland  chief- 
tains navigating  their  subject  lakes.  They  were  wrapped  in  rich 
furs,  their  huge  canoes  freighted  with  every  convenience  and 
luxury,  and  matuied  by  Canadian  voyageurs,  as  obedient  as  High- 
land clansmen.  They  carried  with  them  cooks  and  bakers,  to- 
gether with  delicacies  of  every  kind,  and  abundance  of  choice 
wines  for  the  banquets  which  attended  this  great  convocation. 
Happy  were  they,  too,  if  they  could  meet  with  some  distinguishc<l 
stranger;  above  all,  some  titled  member  of  the  British  nobility,  to 
accompany  them  on  this  stately  occasion,  and  grace  their  high 
solemnities."  And  McLoughlin  liad  been  chief  in  this  hall  at 
Fort  WiUiam,  where  the  Montreal  partners  came  for  their  annual 
council.  Does  this  not  read  like  a  familiar  tale  to  every  old 
Oregonian  who  knew  McLoughlin  in  his  days  of  state  at  Fort 
Vancouver? 

Now  and  then  Fort  Vancouver  had  her  distinguished  stranger 
and  her  titled  guest:  vSir  George  Simpson,  govenior-in-chief  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  territories  in  North  America;  Sir  Hdwar<l 
Belcher  with  Ker  Majesty's  exploring  expedition  in  Paciiic  seas; 
sometimes  a  great  botanist  hke  Nuttall  from  Philadelphia,  or 
Douglas  from  Glasgow,  who  found  and  named  the  Douglas 
spruce;  some  noted  ornithologist  like  our  American  Townscnd, 
some  newspaper  man  like  Farnhara,  or  adventurer  like  Captani 
Sutter,  who  was  dined  and  wined  and  passed  on  to  fame  in  Cali- 
fornia; sometimes  it  was  the  commander  of  a  Uect,  like  Commo- 
dore Wilkes  of  the  United  Stales'  exploring  expedition  in   1842 

Si 


B 


HUDSON'S   HAV  COMPANY  RIXJIMK. 


30- 


that  succumbed  to  the  wine  and  good  fellowship  of  Fort  \^an- 
couver.  Or  it  may  have  been  officers  of  Her  Majesty's  squadron 
that  kept  guard  on  the  Columbia  in  the  critical  winter  of  1845 
when  the  tide  was  turning  in  favor  of  America.  vSomeiimes  it  was 
an  American  trader  hke  Nathaniel  J.  Wyeth  of  Boston,  wl;'o  with 
affiible  manner  brought  a  Yankee  hand  and  eye  and  brani;  or  an 
officer  of  our  army  like  Fremont,  who  fitted  out  at  Fort  ^'an- 
couver  before  unfurling  the  stars  and  stripes  in  California.  Some- 
times it  was  a  missionary  driving  stakes  for  future  states,  or  an 
immigrant  following  close  behind  with  garden  tools  and  axes,  the 
implements  of  civil  Hfe.  And  every  year  and  every  year  it 
was  a  Hudson's  Bay  partner  with  his  retinue  of  voyageurs 
coming  down  in  state  from  Fort  St.  James  beyond  the  Fraser,  fnnn 
Colvile,  Okanagan,  Spokane,  Fort  Hall  upon  the  Snake,  or  Walla 
Walla  at  the  Columbia's  bend,  from  Nisqually  on  the  Sound,  or 
from  the  hills  around  the  Umpqua.  But  whoever  came,  Mc- 
Loughlin  was  still  the  genial  host,  the  sympathetic  friend,  the 
confidant  and  counselor. 

This  semibarbaric  court,  with  nabob  partners  and  transient 
guests,  with  retinues  of  French-Canadian  cooks  and  voyageurs,  and 
leagues  on  leagues  of  Indian  subjects,  found  congenial  soil  in  Ore- 
gon.    Fort  Vancouver  blossomed  into  fiirms  and  gardens  lieyond 
anything  Hudson's  Bay  men   had   ever   known    in    the   rigorous 
north;    retiring  servants  shuddered  at  the  chill  of  Canada,    and 
begged  permission  to  end  their  days  with  their  Indian  wives  and 
childreti  in  the  green  Willamette  valley.     Civilization  grew  apace. 
McLoughlin's  rule  was  stern.     ICthical  reforms  tliat  follow 
Britain's  rule  held  here.     Xo  more  the  slave  was  slain  to  be  l>uried 
in  his  master's  grave;  no  voyageur  might  have  a  dozen  v/ives,   no 
trader  might   abuse   the   confidence   of   trusting    tribes.      "Keeji 
your  promises,"     said     McLoughlin.       "Build    up    coiifide.ice." 
Where  of  old  the  boatmen  sped  with  lighted  match  above  a  load- 
ed camion,  peace  dwelt.     Not  even  would  he  permit  a  tribe  to 
rob  a  rival  trader.     How  quick  he  sent  avengers  down  to  rmii- 
qua  when  Jedediah  Smith  had  met  mishap.     The  White -Headed 
Ragle  spoke  in  tones  of  thunder,    "No  Indian  can  rob  a  white 
iiian  with  impunity."     When  a  Hudson's  Bay  ship  was  wrecked 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  and  Clatsops  hid  the  goods,  the 
vengeance    of  the    white-headed   chief  was   swift    and   terrible. 
When  a  Yankee  captain  ran  aground   in   the   Willamette,    Mc- 

54 


31.  vSEMI-CRNTKNNIAL  HIvSTORV  OF  ORKGON: 

I^oughlin's  messengers,  like  guardian  angels,  kept  the  savages  at: 
bay  and  helped  the  stranger  off.  When  missionaries  came,  he 
met  them,  picked  out  locations,  gave  them  every  encouragement. 

That  the  Frenchman  amalgamates  with  inferior  tribes  is  the 
history  of  North  America;  he  loses  his  identity,  loses  his  civihza- 
tion,  finally  loses  empire.  The  Spaniard  comes  like  a  despot, 
fastens  upon  the  toil  of  inferior  races,  his  civilization  decays,  he, 
too,  loses  empire.  The  Anglo-Saxon,  with  a  moral  onsvveep, 
molds  anew.  With  him,  tribes  must  rise  or  perish.  He  never 
loses  himself.  Incapables  disappear  or  blend  in  the  leaven  of  his 
empire.  The  way  was  clear  for  such  an  empire  here,  purely 
Knghsh.     But  America  was  too  quick. 

When  over  the  mountains  long  trains  of  immigrants  began 
to  roll,  the  first  faint  waves  of  deluge,  John  McLoughlin  was,  be- 
fore all  things  else,  an  Anglo-Saxo...  The  Indians  were  satisfied 
with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  it  did  not  take  their  lands. 
But  these  Americans  wanted,  not  furs  but  farms;  not  forts  but 
homes;  not  isolated  trading  houses,  but  a  whole  land  full  of 
factories,  schools,  cities.  Indian  wrath  grew  with  each  succeed- 
ing wagon  that  rolled  over  the  Rockies,  bearing  women  and  little 
children  into  Oregon.  The  tomahawk  was  ready.  But  as  ever 
with  this  royal  race,  (when  not  fighting  us)  McLoughlin  forgot 
gain,  forgot  furs  and  forts  and  dividends,  he  only  remembered  that 
humanity  was  here  in  danger.  Far  up  the  Columbia  he  sent  his 
batteaux  to  feed  the  hungry  immigrants.  And  when,  from  a 
stormy  voyage,  they  were  landed  at  Vancouver,  he  it  was  tliat 
met  them  on  the  shore,  that  took  their  hands  in  welcome,  that 
builded  bonfires  all  along  the  sands  to  warm  and  d"-  the  multi- 
tude. All  night  long  he  stood  out  there,  his  white  locks  wet 
with  rain,  guarding,  guarding  personally  that  no  damage  or  dan- 
ger might  ensue  to  these  strangers  in  his  realm.  And  so 
from  year  to  year. 

But  who  was  McLoughlin?  A  British  fur-trader.  And  these 
'At-re  American  immigrants  tliat  meant  to  take  the  country.  The 
London  directorate  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  made  investiga- 
tion. "Our  representative  in  Oregon  is  (encouraging  American 
immigration,"  they  said.  "I  know  it,  gentlemen,  I  know  it,  but 
I  cannot  see  the  people  suffer,"  was  McLoughlin's  answer.  The 
American  Congress  heard  of  him.  "Dr.  McLoughlin  is  a  British 
fur-trader  and  a   menace    to    our    settlers,"    was    the    verdict. 


So  arf 
Calml 
quietl 
drove 
Lougl 
When 
Fort  ^ 
decam 
two  C( 
in,  a\M 
name 
boon  t 


.SS 


HI'DSON'S  BAY  COMPANY  RKGIMK. 


32. 


So  around  the  devoted  doctor's  head  the  criticising  arrows  flew 
Calmly  oti  his  way  he  sent  his  ship  loads  of  furs  to  London, 
quietly  he  fed  the  hungry  settler,  until  conflicting  interests 
drove  him  from  his  post  at  Fort  Vancouver.  The  story  of  Mc- 
Loughlin  is  the  story  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  in  Oregon. 
When  he  resigneU  and  moved  to  Oregon  City,  decay  set  in  at 
Fort  Vancouver.  Settlers  came  fast  ajid  faster,  the  fur  hunters 
decamped  for  California  gold  fields.  A  joint  commission  of  the 
two  countries  appraised  the  property,  the  United  States  bought  it 
in,  a:'.d  the  shadow  of  England  passed  from  Oregon.  liut  the 
name  and  memory  of  Dr.  John  McLoughlin  remain,  a  beneficent 
boon  to  all  coming  time. 

KVA  KMKRV  DYE. 


56 


PROSPECTUS  OF  THE  SEMI-CENTENNIAL    HISTORY    OF 

OREGON. 


Noiv  Ready. 

1.  Mile  Posts  in  Development  of  Oregon;  Characteristics 
as  an  American  Commonwealth,  by  Horace  S.  Lyman,  A.  M,, 
with  supplement:     A   World    Movement  and  a  National  Move 
ment  that  had  Important  Relations  to  the  making  of  Oregon,  by 

Prof.  F.  G.  Young. 

2.  Exploration  Northwestward, 

Prof.  F.  G.  Young. 

3.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  Regime  in  the  Oregon 
Country,  by  Eva  Embry  Dye,  A.  M. 

In  PrepaiaiiGii. 

4.  Occupation  of  the  Oregon  Country  by  American  Trad- 
ers, Missionaries  and  Pioneers,  by 

Horace  S.  Lyman,  A.  M. 

5.  The  Immigrations  to  Oregon,  by 

George  H.  Himes, 
Secretary  of  Oregon  Pioneer  Association. 

6.  The    Process  of  Selection    in    Oregon  Pioneer  Settle- 
ment, by  Prof.  Thomas  Condon. 

7.  The  Oregon  Question,  by 

Principal  Joseph  R.  Wilson. 

8.  The  History  of  Civil  Government  in  Oregon,  by 

Prof.  James  R.  Robertson. 

9.  Men,  Women  and  Times  among  the  Oregon  Pioneers,  by 

Velina  p.  Molson. 

10.  Political  History  of  Oregon  from  1853  to  the  close  of 
the  Civil  War,  by  Hon.  George  H.  Williams. 

11.  Political  History  of  Oregon  from  1865  to  1876,  by 

Hon.  Wm.  D.  Fenton. 

12.  Political  History  of  Oregon  from  1876  to   the  present 
day,  by  Judge  M.  C.  George. 

13.  The  Development  of  Agriculture  and   Horticulture  in 
Oregon,  by  Hon.  John  Minto. 

14.  The  Industrial,  Commercial  and  Financial  History  of 
Oregon,  by  Prof.  F.  G.  Young. 

15.  History  of  Printing  and  the  Press  in  Oregon,  by 

George  H.  Himrs, 
Secretary  of  Oregon  Pioneer  Association. 

Double  numbers  and  probably  triple  numbers  will  be  pub- 
lished as  monthly  installments. 


